Vessels of the Sanctuary and Those Who Serve Therein Chapter 1

מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה לַעֲשׂוֹת שֶׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה שֶׁיִּהְיֶה מוּכָן לִדְבָרִים שֶׁצְּרִיכִין מְשִׁיחָה בּוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות ל, כה) "וְעָשִׂיתָ אֹתוֹ שֶׁמֶן מִשְׁחַת קֹדֶשׁ":

It is a positive commandment to prepare the anointing oil so that it will be ready [to use] for those articles that require anointing, as [Exodus 30:25] states: "And you shall make it as the oil of sacred anointment."

וְכָכָה עָשָׂהוּ משֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ בַּמִּדְבָּר. לָקַח מִן הַמּוֹר וְהַקִּנָּמוֹן וְהַקִּדָּה מִכָּל אֶחָד מִשְּׁלָשְׁתָּן חֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת שֶׁקֶל בְּשֶׁקֶל הַקֹּדֶשׁ. וּמִקְּנֵה הַבּשֶֹׁם חֲמִשִּׁים וּמָאתַיִם. וְזֶהוּ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בַּתּוֹרָה (שמות ל כג) "וְקִנְּמָן בֶּשֶׂם מַחֲצִיתוֹ חֲמִשִּׁים וּמָאתַיִם" שֶׁשּׁוֹקְלִים אוֹתוֹ בִּשְׁתֵּי פְּעָמִים חֲמִשִּׁים וּמָאתָיִם בְּכָל פַּעַם. וְשׁוֹחֵק כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד לְבַדּוֹ. וְעֵרֵב הַכּל וְשָׁרָה אוֹתָן בְּמַיִם זַכִּין וּמְתוּקִין עַד שֶׁיֵּצֵא כָּל כֹּחָן בַּמַּיִם וְנָתַן עַל הַמַּיִם שֶׁמֶן זַיִת הִין וְהוּא י"ב לוֹג. כָּל לוֹג אַרְבַּע רְבִיעִיּוֹת. וּבִשֵּׁל הַכּל עַל הָאֵשׁ עַד שֶׁאָבְדוּ הַמַּיִם וְנִשְׁאַר הַשֶּׁמֶן וְהִנִּיחוֹ בִּכְלִי לְדוֹרוֹת:

While in the desert, Moses our teacher [had] it prepared. He took the equivalent of 500 shekel of the holy shekalim of musk, cinnamon, and costus and the equivalent of 250 shekel of fragrant cane. The Torah's statement [ibid.:23]: "And fragrant cinnamon, half its measure, 250," implies that [the entire quantity] should be weighed out in two measures, 250 each time. Each one should be ground separately, mixed together and then soaked in pure, sweet water until all of its power was extracted into the water. A hin - which is equivalent to twelve log with each log comprising four revi'iot - of oil was placed above the water. The entire mixture was then cooked over fire until the water boiled off and only the oil remained. It was then set aside for [future] generations.

הַמּוֹר הוּא הַדָּם הַצָּרוּר בְּחַיָּה שֶׁבְּהֹדּוּ הַיָּדוּעַ לַכּל שֶׁמִּתְבַּשְּׂמִין בָּהּ בְּנֵי אָדָם בְּכָל מָקוֹם. וְהַקִּנָּמוֹן הוּא הָעֵץ שֶׁבָּא מֵאִיֵּי הֹדּוּ שֶׁרֵיחוֹ טוֹב וּמִתְגַּמְּרִים בּוֹ בְּנֵי אָדָם. וְהַקִּדָּה הִיא הַקּוֹשְׁט. וּקְנֵה בּשֶֹׁם הֵם הַקָּנִים הַדַּקִּים כְּתֶבֶן הָאֲדֻמִּים הַבָּאִים מֵאִיֵּי הֹדּוּ וְרֵיחָן טוֹב וְהֵם מִמִּינֵי הַבְּשָׂמִים שֶׁנּוֹתְנִין אוֹתָם הָרוֹפְאִים בְּצֹרִי:

Musk refers to the blood contained with a wild beast from India that is of universal renown which people everywhere use as a fragrance. Cinnamon is a tree that comes from the Indian islands which has a pleasant fragrance and which people use as incense. The term kidah refers to costus. Fragrant cane, this refers to thin canes like red straw that come from the Indian islands and have a pleasant fragrance. They are types of herbs which doctors place in balsam.

הָעוֹשֶׂה שֶׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה כַּמַּעֲשֶׂה הַזֶּה וְכַמִּשְׁקָל הַזֶּה וְלֹא הוֹסִיף וְלֹא גָּרַע בְּמֵזִיד חַיָּב כָּרֵת. בְּשׁוֹגֵג מֵבִיא חַטָּאת קְבוּעָה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות ל לג) "אֲשֶׁר יִרְקַח כָּמֹהוּ" (שמות ל לג) "וְנִכְרַת מֵעַמָּיו". וְהוּא שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה אוֹתוֹ לְהִמָּשַׁח בּוֹ. אֲבָל אִם עָשָׂהוּ לְהִתְלַמֵּד אוֹ לִתְּנוֹ לַאֲחֵרִים פָּטוּר:

One who willfully prepares anointing oil in this manner and with these measurements without adding or reducing [the quantity of the herbs] is liable for karet. If he prepares it unknowingly, he must bring a fixed sin-offering, [as ibid.:34] states: "One who makes such a compound shall be cut off from his nation." [The above applies] provided he prepared it for anointment. If, however, he prepared it for practice or to give to other people, he is exempt.

הַסָּךְ מִשֶּׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה כְּזַיִת בְּמֵזִיד חַיָּב כָּרֵת. וּבְשׁוֹגֵג מֵבִיא חַטָּאת קְבוּעָה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות ל לג) "וַאֲשֶׁר יִתֵּן מִמֶּנּוּ עַל זָר וְנִכְרַת מֵעַמָּיו". וְאֵין חַיָּבִין אֶלָּא עַל סִיכַת שֶׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה שֶׁעָשָׂה משֶׁה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר מִמֶּנּוּ. מִזֶּה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בּוֹ (שמות ל לא) "שֶׁמֶן מִשְׁחַת קֹדֶשׁ יִהְיֶה זֶה לִי". וּמֵעוֹלָם לֹא נַעֲשָׂה שֶׁמֶן אַחֵר חוּץ מִמַּה שֶּׁעָשָׂה משֶׁה:

One who anoints himself with an olive-sized portion of the oil of anointment willfully is liable for karet. If he [anoints himself] unknowingly, he must bring a fixed sin-offering, [as ibid.] states: "And one who applies it to an unauthorized person, shall be cut off from his nation." One is liable only for anointing oneself with the oil of anointment made by Moses, as the prooftext states "from it," from [the oil] of which [ibid.:31] states "This will be oil for sacred anointing for Me." No other [anointing] oil was ever made aside from that made by Moses.

אֶחָד הַסָּךְ אֶת עַצְמוֹ וְאֶחָד הַסָּךְ אֶת אֲחֵרִים שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות ל לג) "וַאֲשֶׁר יִתֵּן מִמֶּנּוּ עַל זָר". הַסָּךְ כֵּלִים וּבְהֵמָה וְעַכּוּ"ם שֶׁהֵם כְּמוֹתָהּ אוֹ שֶׁסָּךְ מֵתִים בּוֹ פָּטוּר שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות ל לב) "עַל בְּשַׂר אָדָם לֹא יִיסָךְ":

[One is liable] whether he anoints himself or others, as [the prooftext] states: "And one who applies it to an unauthorized person." One who spreads it on utensils, an animal, a gentile - who is [halachicly equivalent] to an animal - or who spreads it on a corpse, is exempt, as [implied by ibid.:32]: "It should not be spread on the flesh of a man."

אֵין מוֹשְׁחִין מִמֶּנּוּ לְדוֹרוֹת אֶלָּא כֹּהֲנִים גְּדוֹלִים וּמְשׁוּחַ מִלְחָמָה וּמַלְכֵי בֵּית דָּוִד בִּלְבַד. אֲפִלּוּ כֹּהֵן בֶּן כֹּהֵן מוֹשְׁחִין אוֹתוֹ. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא ו טו) "וְהַכֹּהֵן הַמָּשִׁיחַ תַּחְתָּיו מִבָּנָיו" וְגוֹ':

For all time, we do not [use this oil] except to anoint the High Priest, the priest who leads the nation in war, and kings from the House of David. Even a High Priest who is the son of a High Priest should be anointed, as [Leviticus 6:15] states: "The priest from his sons anointed in place of him...."

בְּבַיִת שֵׁנִי שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה שָׁם שֶׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה הָיָה כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל מִתְרַבֶּה בִּלְבִישַׁת בְּגָדִים בִּלְבַד שֶׁהָיָה לוֹבֵשׁ בִּגְדֵי כְּהֻנָּה גְּדוֹלָה:

Since there was no anointing oil [during] the Second Temple [era], the High Priest was installed in his office by putting on the garments of the High Priest alone.

כֵּיצַד מוֹשְׁחִין אֶת הַכֹּהֵן. צָק אֶת הַשֶּׁמֶן עַל רֹאשׁוֹ וְסָךְ מִמֶּנּוּ עַל גַּבֵּי עֵינָיו כְּמִין כִּי יְוָנִית כָּזֶה X שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא ח יב) "וַיִּצֹק מִשֶּׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה עַל רֹאשׁ אַהֲרֹן וַיִּמְשַׁח אֹתוֹ לְקַדְּשׁוֹ". וּמַלְכֵי בֵּית דָּוִד מוֹשְׁחִין אוֹתָן כְּמִין נֵזֶר עַל רֹאשׁוֹ. וְלֹא יִמְשַׁח בִּמְקוֹמוֹת אֲחֵרוֹת וְלֹא יַרְבֶּה בְּשֶׁמֶן:

How was the High Priest anointed? The oil should be poured on his head and applied between his eyes in the form of the Greek letter chi, like this C as [Leviticus 8:12] states: "And he poured the anointing oil on Aaron's head and anointed him to sanctify him." The kings of the Davidic dynasty are anointed [with the oil] spread as a crown on their foreheads. They should not be anointed on other places [on their bodies], nor should one use an excessive amount of oil.

הַנּוֹתֵן מִשֶּׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה עַל גַּבֵּי מֶלֶךְ אוֹ כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל שֶׁכְּבָר נִמְשְׁחוּ פָּטוּר שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות ל לג) "וַאֲשֶׁר יִתֵּן מִמֶּנּוּ עַל זָר" וְאֵין אֵלּוּ זָרִים אֶצְלוֹ. אֲבָל הַסָּךְ מִמֶּנּוּ אֲפִלּוּ לְמֶלֶךְ וְכֹהֵן גָּדוֹל חַיָּב שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות ל לב) "עַל בְּשַׂר אָדָם לֹא יִיסָךְ" כָּל אָדָם בְּמַשְׁמָע. וְכֹהֵן גָּדוֹל שֶׁנָּטַל שֶׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה מֵרֹאשׁוֹ וְסָךְ בְּמֵעָיו חַיָּב כָּרֵת וְהוּא שֶׁיָּסוּךְ מִמֶּנּוּ בִּכְזַיִת:

A person who places the anointing oil on a king or High Priest who had been anointed previously is exempt, for [the prooftext] speaks of "one who applies it to an unauthorized person." And these individuals are not unauthorized with regard to this oil. If, however, one - even a king or a High Priest - spreads it [on his flesh], he is liable, for [the prooftext] states: "It should not be spread on the flesh of a man." This implies all men. When a High Priest takes the anointment oil from his head and spreads it on his belly, he is liable for karet, provided he spreads an olive-sized portion.

אֵין מוֹשְׁחִין אֶת הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶלָּא עַל גַּבֵּי הַמַּעְיָן. וְאֵין מוֹשְׁחִין מֶלֶךְ בֶּן מֶלֶךְ שֶׁהַמַּלְכוּת יְרֻשָּׁה לַמֶּלֶךְ לְעוֹלָם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים יז כ) "הוּא וּבָנָיו בְּקֶרֶב יִשְׂרָאֵל". וְאִם הָיְתָה שָׁם מַחְלֹקֶת מוֹשְׁחִין אוֹתוֹ כְּדֵי לְסַלֵּק הַמַּחֲלֹקֶת וּלְהוֹדִיעַ לַכּל שֶׁזֶּהוּ מֶלֶךְ לְבַדּוֹ. כְּמוֹ שֶׁמָּשְׁחוּ שְׁלֹמֹה מִפְּנֵי מַחְלֹקֶת אֲדוֹנִיָּהוּ. וְיוֹאָשׁ מִפְּנֵי עֲתַלְיָה. וִיהוֹאָחָז מִפְּנֵי יְהוֹיָקִים אָחִיו. וְזֶה שֶׁמָּשַׁח אֱלִישָׁע לְיֵהוּא לֹא בְּשֶׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה מְשָׁחוֹ אֶלָּא בְּשֶׁמֶן אֲפַרְסְמוֹן. וְדָבָר זֶה מָסֹרֶת בְּיַד הַחֲכָמִים:

A king should only be anointed next to a spring. We do not anoint the king who is the son of a king, for the kingship is a hereditary position for the king for all time, as [Deuteronomy 17:20] states: "[Thus] he and his descendants [will prolong their reign] in the midst of Israel." If there is a controversy, he should be anointed to resolve the controversy and to notify to all that he alone is the king, as Solomon was anointed because of the controversy [stirred up by] Adoniyahu. Yoash was anointed because of Atal'ya, and Yehoachaz was anointed because of his brother Yehoyakim. When Elisha had Yehu anointed, he did not have him anointed with the anointment oil, but with balsam oil. This is an accepted tradition among the sages.

כָּל כְּלֵי הַמִּקְדָּשׁ שֶׁעָשָׂה משֶׁה בַּמִּדְבָּר לֹא נִתְקַדְּשׁוּ אֶלָּא בִּמְשִׁיחָתָן בְּשֶׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר ז א) "וַיִּמְשָׁחֵם וַיְקַדֵּשׁ אֹתָם". וְדָבָר זֶה אֵינוֹ נוֹהֵג לְדוֹרוֹת. אֶלָּא הַכֵּלִים כֻּלָּן כֵּיוָן שֶׁנִּשְׁתַּמְּשׁוּ בָּהֶן בַּמִּקְדָּשׁ בִּמְלַאכְתָּן נִתְקַדְּשׁוּ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר ד יב) "אֲשֶׁר יְשָׁרְתוּ בָם בַּקֹּדֶשׁ" בְּשֵׁרוּת הֵם מִתְקַדְּשִׁין:

All of the vessels of the Sanctuary that were fashioned [at the command] of Moses were sanctified only by being anointed with the anointing oil, as [Numbers 7:1] states: "And he anointed them and sanctified them." This practice was not followed in the coming generations. Instead, all of the utensils became sanctified when they were used for their purpose in the Temple, as [implied by Numbers 4:12] "...that they will serve with them in the Sanctuary," i.e., through service, they are sanctified.

הַכַּפּוֹת וְהַקְּעָרוֹת שֶׁמְּקַבְּלִין בָּהֶם הַמְּנָחוֹת וְכֵן הַמִּזְרָקוֹת שֶׁמְּקַבְּלִין בָּהֶן הַדָּם וּשְׁאָר כְּלֵי הַשָּׁרֵת כֻּלָּן שֶׁל כֶּסֶף וְשֶׁל זָהָב הָיוּ וּמֻתָּר לַעֲשׂוֹתָן מִשְּׁאָר מִינֵי מַתָּכוֹת כְּמוֹ שֶׁבֵּאַרְנוּ וְכֻלָּן מִתְקַדְּשִׁין בִּמְלַאכְתָּן. וְאִם נִשְׁבְּרוּ מַתִּיךְ אוֹתָם וְעוֹשֶׂה אוֹתָן כְּלִי אַחֵר וְאֵין קְדֻשָּׁתָן מִסְתַּלֶּקֶת מֵהֶן לְעוֹלָם:

The spoons and the bowls used to contain the meal offerings and similarly, the basins used to receive the blood, and the other vessels used [in the Sanctuary] were all made of silver and gold. It was permitted to make them from other metals, as we explained. They receive their holiness by being used for the [desired] tasks. If they were broken, they should be smelted down and another utensil made from them, for their holiness never departs from them.

כְּלֵי הַקֹּדֶשׁ שֶׁנִּקְּבוּ אוֹ שֶׁנִּסְדְּקוּ אֵין סוֹתְמִין אוֹתָן אֶלָּא מַתִּיכִין אוֹתָן וְעוֹשִׂין אוֹתָן חֲדָשִׁים:

If the sacred utensils became perforated or cracked, the cracks are not plugged close. Instead, the utensils should be smelted down and new utensils made.

סַכִּין שֶׁנִּשְׁמַט מִן הַנִּצָּב אוֹ שֶׁנִּפְגַּם אֵין מַחֲזִירִין אוֹתוֹ וְאֵין מַשְׁחִיזִין אוֹתוֹ. אֶלָּא גּוֹנְזִין אוֹתוֹ בְּצַד הַהֵיכָל בֵּין הַקֹּדֶשׁ וְהָאוּלָם לַדָּרוֹם וְעוֹשִׂין אֲחֵרִים. שֶׁאֵין עֲנִיּוּת בִּמְקוֹם עֲשִׁירוּת:

When a knife has become dislodged from its shaft or blemished, it is not returned to its shaft, nor is it sharpened. Instead, it should be entombed on the side of the Temple, between the Sanctuary and the Entrance Hall on the south and new ones should be made. For [conduct bespeaking] poverty is not [appropriate] in a place where wealth [is in place].

שְׁתֵּי מִדּוֹת שֶׁל יָבֵשׁ הָיוּ בַּמִּקְדָּשׁ. עִשָּׂרוֹן. וַחֲצִי עִשָּׂרוֹן. הָעִשָּׂרוֹן לִמְנָחוֹת. וַחֲצִי הָעִשָּׂרוֹן לְחַלֵּק בּוֹ מִנְחַת כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל שֶׁבְּכָל יוֹם:

There were two containers for dry measure in the Temple: an isaron and a half an isaron. The isaron was for the meal offering and the half isaron to separate the meal offering brought by the High Priest every day.

וְשֶׁבַע מִדּוֹת שֶׁל לַח הָיוּ שָׁם. הִין. וַחֲצִי הַהִין. וּשְׁלִישִׁית הַהִין. וּרְבִיעִית הַהִין. וְלוֹג. וַחֲצִי לוֹג. וּרְבִיעִית. וְלָמָּה הָיוּ חֲצִי הַהִין וּשְׁלִישִׁית הַהִין וּרְבִיעִית הַהִין. לִמְדִידַת הַנְּסָכִים שֶׁל זְבָחִים. וְלוֹג לִמְדִידַת שֶׁמֶן הַמְּנָחוֹת. וַחֲצִי לוֹג לִמְדִידַת שֶׁמֶן לְכָל נֵר מִנֵּרוֹת הַמְּנוֹרָה. וּרְבִיעִית לְחַלֵּק בָּהּ הַשֶּׁמֶן לַחֲבִיתִין:

There were seven containers of liquid measure: a hin, a half a hin, a third of a hin, a fourth of a hin, a log, a half a log, and a fourth of a log. Why were there measures of a half a hin, a third of a hin, a fourth of a hin? To measure out the wine libations for the sacrifices. A log was necessary to measure the oil for the meal offerings. A half a log was necessary to measure out the oil for every lamp of the lamps of the Menorah. And a fourth [of a log] to divide the oil for [the High Priest's] chavitan offering.

וְאֵין לָנוּ דָּבָר לִמְדֹּד בּוֹ הִין וְלָמָּה הָיָה שָׁם. הוֹאִיל וְהָיָה בַּמִּקְדָּשׁ מִימֵי משֶׁה שֶׁמָּדַד בּוֹ שֶׁמֶן לְשֶׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה. וּבַחֲצִי לוֹג שֶׁיִּהְיֶה בַּמִּקְדָּשׁ הָיוּ מוֹדְדִין מַיִם לְמֵי סוֹטָה וְשֶׁמֶן לְתוֹדָה. וּבָרְבִיעִית שֶׁהָיְתָה שָׁם הָיוּ מוֹדְדִין שֶׁמֶן לֶחֶם הַנָּזִיר. וּמַיִם לְטָהֳרַת מְצֹרָע. וְלֹא מִפְּנֵי מַעֲשִׂים אֵלּוּ נִתְקַדְּשׁוּ אֶלָּא מִפְּנֵי הַמְּלָאכוֹת שֶׁל מִקְדָּשׁ שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ:

There is nothing that is measured with a hin. Why [then] was it there? [It remained, because] it had been in the Sanctuary from the time of Moses who used it to measure the oil for the anointing oil. With the measure of a half a log that was in the Temple, water was measured for the Sotah water and oil for the thanksgiving offerings. With the measure of a fourth [of a log], oil was measured for the bread brought by a nazirite and water for the purification of a metzora. It is not that through these deeds the measures became sanctified, but rather because of the tasks [performed] in the Sanctuary that were mentioned [in the preceding halachah].

כָּל הַמִּדּוֹת הָאֵלּוּ קֹדֶשׁ וּמִכְּלֵי הַשָּׁרֵת. אֶלָּא שֶׁמִּדּוֹת הַלַּח נִמְשְׁחוּ מִבִּפְנִים וּמִבַּחוּץ. וּכְלֵי הַיָּבֵשׁ לֹא נִמְשְׁחוּ אֶלָּא בִּפְנִים. לְפִיכָךְ בֵּירוּצֵי מִדּוֹת הַלַּח קֹדֶשׁ. וּבֵירוּצֵי מִדּוֹת הַיָּבֵשׁ חל:

All of these measures are consecrated and are considered as sacred utensils. [There is, however a difference between them.] The liquid measures were anointed on both the inside and the outside, while the dry measures were anointed only on the inside. Therefore the overflow of the liquid measures was consecrated, and the overflow of the dry measures was not consecrated.